Vertically collapsible table



21, 1951 L. N. UDELL 2,565,187

VERTICALLY COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed March 31, 1950 INVENTOR.

Joule /I [(22% Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f2,565,187 VERTICALLY COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Louis Udell, Chicago, I ll.

Application March 31, 1950, Serial No. 153,207

Claims. M (01. 311- 39), 1

providean improved collapsible supporting structurefor tables and thelike; to provide a supporting structure for a collapsible table; toprovide a collapsible supporting structure for "a table which permitsretraction of the table into a small space so that it may. be easilystored, and, at the same time, provides a sturdy support for the tablewhen extended; to provide improved means for locking and reinforcing acollapsible table structure in its extended position; and to provide animproved card tablewhichmay be collapsed and In the form shown in thdrawing, each of the legs 4 comprises a pair of rectangular panels 6which are connected to each other by hinges l at their adjacent edges.The outer ends of the articulated legs 4 are connected to the top 2 andbase 3 by hinges 8. The hinges l and 8 are arranged to permit the legs 4to fold outwardly away from each other, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

extended with less movement and effort than. is,

necessary for a conventional card table.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of an improvedcollapsible table-embodyin my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the table shown in Fig. 1, one of thecorner slides being withdrawn Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of theimproved table, the table-being shown in a position intermediate itsextended-andcollapsed positions;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the table shown in the collapsed orstorage position; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the lockingmeans, the view being taken along line 55 of Fig. -1. I

The improved table-shown in the drawing is very sturdy and at the sametime may be collapsed into a minimum of space. In addition, thearrangement of parts is such that effective enlargement of the table maybe accomplished .without increasing the over-all bulk of the collapsedtable.

As shown in the drawings, th table I comprises a pair of spaced sectionsincluding a table top 2 and a base 3, which are interconnected by a pairof collapsible or articulated legs 4, the legs being secured in extendedposition by improved locking means 5.

The top 2 and base 3 are generally rectangular in shape and are locatedin spaced, parallel relationship when the table I is extended or 001-lapsed. In order to permit placing a chair close to the table, the base3 is preferably smaller than the table top I. The base 3 should be ofsuflicient weight to assure stability of the table. This may beaccomplished by loading the base 3 in any well known manner.

The improved locking means 5 comprises a pair of latches or braces 9which are hingedly connected to the table top 2 and base 3,respectively, by hinges Ill, and a plurality of keepers or catches I Iwhich are bolted or otherwise rigidly attached to the leg sections. Thelatches 9 comprise an arm section 12 and a catch-engaging member orfinger I3 which is attached to the arm by bolts I4 or other suitablefastening means. The arms [2 are generally rectangular panels which aresupported at the center of the table so as to extend transverselybetween the spaced legs 4 and, as a result, the axes of the armsupporting hinges l0 extend transversely to the axes of the hinges I and8 associated with the legs 4. The fingers l3 carried by the arms I2 areproportioned to frictionally'engage the keepers II so as to secure thelatch 9 in position when the table is extended.

In order to collapse the table, the latch members 9: attached to the top2 and base 3, respectively, must be disengaged from the keepers II,whereupon the table may be collapsed and stored. Suitable locking means(not shown) may be provided for maintaining the table in its collapsedposition. To extend the table, the top 2 is lifted so as to permittheupper latch member 9 to drop into place, whereupon the lower latchmember 9 may be raised into engagement with the associated catch II. Itwill be understood, of course, thatonly one latch member may benecessary in order to provide a satisfactory table, and that othermodifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

In order to prevent damage to the hinges and leg sections, the keepers Hare proportioned and positioned so that when the table is collapsed, thekeepers H on the upper leg sections will engage and rest upon those ofthe lower leg sections. In like manner, when the table is collapsed, thefingers 13 of the upper latch 9 engage and rest upon those of the lowerlatch 9. These arrangements, which are best illustrated in Fig. 4,provide a sturdy structure when the table is collapsed.

In view of the arrangement of the legs 4 and latch 9, a plurality ofslides 15 may be spaced around the periphery of the table. As shownparticularly in Fig. 2, these slides 15 extend from the corners of thetable I toward the center thereof. The slides 15 are supported uponsuitable tracks 16 which are secured to the underside of the table top2. Similarly, a drawer I! may be supported in tracks l8 attached to theunderside of the top, the drawer opening from one side of the table 1.The legs 4, tracks l6 and I8, slides 15, and drawer I! are proportionedso that when the legs collapse they fall into spaces intermediate theslides l5, and the top latch 9 is hinged so as to fold away from thedrawer H. The slides l may be provided with an aperture I8 for insertionof an ash tray, and an additional recess ii) for receiving a drinkingglass. the arrangement of these slides 15, the efiective area of thetable top is substantially increased, and through the provision of thedrawer ll various articles may be stored.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that details of theconstruction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. A table comprising a pair of spaced sections, an articulated legextending between said sections, hinge means connecting opposite an endof said leg to one of said spaced sections, and means for locking saidleg in an extended position, said locking means including a brace, ahinge connecting said brace to one of said sections, the axis of saidhinge being disposed transverse to the axis of the hinge meansconnecting said leg to said one section, and a keeper on saidarticulated leg for receiving said brace to lock said leg in saidextended position.

2. A table comprising spaced top and bottom sections, an articulated legextending between said top and bottom sections, hinge means connectingopposite ends of said leg to said sections, and means for locking saidleg in an extended position, said locking means including a pair ofbraces, hinges connecting said braces to said sections, the axes of saidhinges extending transversely to the axes of the hinge means connectingsaid leg to said sections, keepers on said articulated leg for receivingsaid braces, said keepers being located intermediate said hinges and anarticulation of said leg.

3. A table comprising a top and a base, a pair of articulated legsextending between said top and base and disposed in spaced parallelrelation to each other, hinge means connecting opposite ends of saidlegs to said top and base, means for locking said legs in the extendedposition, said locking means comprising a pair of latche disposedtransversely between said legs, a hinge for As a result of connectingone of said latches to said top, another hinge connecting the other ofsaid latches to said base, the axes of said hinges extendingtransversely to the axes of said hinge means connecting said legs tosaid top and base, a plurality of keepers on said articulated legspositioned to receive said latches, said keepers being disposedintermediate the hinge attached to the latch and, the articulation ofsaid legs.

4, A collapsible table comprising top and base members disposed insubstantially parallel spaced relation to each other, a pair ofarticulated legs extending between said top and base members anddisposed in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, eachof said leg comprising a pair of sections hinged to each other and tosaid top and base, respectively, locking means for securing said legs intheir extended position, said locking means including keepers mounted oncertain of said leg secticns, and a brace hingedly supported on one ofsaid members for movement into locking engagement with said keepers.

5. A collapsible table comprising top and base members disposed insubstantially parallel spaced relation to each other, a pair ofarticulated legs 1 extending between said top and base members anddisposed in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, eachof said legs comprising a pair of sections hinged to each other and tosaid top and base, respectively, locking means for securing said legs intheir extended operative position, said locking means including keepersmounted on certain of said leg sections, and a pair of braces hingedlysecured to the opposed faces of said top and base members and adapted toswing into looking engagement with said keepers.

LOUIS N. UDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 672,811 Smitz Apr. 23, 1901773,721 Duvall Nov. 1, 1904 928,726 Whitthaus July 20, 1909 1,035,575Goode Aug. 13, 1912 1,891,665 Brenholts Dec. 20, 1932 2,388,192Stechbart Oct. 30, 1945 2,520,789 Weiss Aug. 29, 1950 2,531,233 PettitNov. 21, 1950 2,532,766 Galleret Dec. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 4,948 Great Britain 1905 15,285 Great Britain 1907

